'Courtesy' or 'Demonstrator' car: what's the difference?

[ddentrec]

Why do dealers provide new cars as courtesy vehicles, which according to my brother-in-law who works for a BMW dealership they 'get the nuts thrashed off them' by both customers and staff alike and then when they are sold on as 'approved used cars' are described by the dealer as 'demonstrators'?

The average amount of time actually used for test drives etc is minimal: most of the time the dealership management are using them at weekends for 'promotions' or whatever, or we borrow them while our is being serviced.

Such cars should be described as 'Courtesy Cars' and priced accordingly.

It is one reason why I never buy 'demonstrators'.

 

[bibamus]

You should see how the delivery drivers (not all, obviously) drive new cars!

Allan

 

[R2D2]

..........its a funny thing but the cars delivered to cautious drivers who run them in slowly using perform like rubbish but the cars that are not run in and are driven fully go like a dream. I know of a case where a customer complained that his new car didnt go like the own he had for a courtesy car the only difference was one had heen "thrashed" and had loosened up and one hadnt.

 

[grober]

Forward Reverse

There's a BIG difference between using the car within its design envelope and abusing it. The obvious ones are constantly over revving the engine, driving at speed over speedbumps or high kerbs and selecting reverse on the gearbox while still moving forward or vice versa. Guarranteed to cause the next owner problems somewhere down the line.

 

[fuzzer]

There's a BIG difference between using the car within its design envelope and abusing it. The obvious ones are constantly over revving the engine, driving at speed over speedbumps or high kerbs and selecting reverse on the gearbox while still moving forward or vice versa. Guarranteed to cause the next owner problems somewhere down the line.

there is a lot to be said of not really caring during the first 3 years of a cars life due to warranty etc. Why am i keeping the car good for the next person?

 

[Dryce]

It is one reason why I never buy 'demonstrators'.

These days the electronics in the car stop the engine being
genuinely abused and the ABS/traction control stops the tyres
from getting mangled. That leaves the clutch (if any).

Out of all the cars we've bought in the last 16 years the one
that caused the biggest problems was one of the two that
were bought brand new. We discovered that one bought as
an ex-demonstrator had had two AA call outs for an electronics
problem before we got it -- so it was effectively snagged by
the dealer before we got it.

Buying an ex-demonstrator or rental these days wouldn't
bother me as long as it came at the right price and with
at least 12 months warranty remaining.

 

[Will]

As Grober has said, no amount of electronics will stop people bumping up curbs/speedbumps at speed, thrashing the engines when cold, abusing the gearbox (and or clutch if a manual) etc not to mention the incredible way that hire/courtesy cars love being smoked in/eaten in/filled with rubbish etc.

I wouldn't personally want to buy one and that's exactly why this post exists - neither do most hence the way that they are subtly disguised as 'Demonstrators'

The Dealers aren't silly

Will

 

[Ricardo]

My family have had several demonstrators from different car makes, and not had an issue with either.

The current C270CDI was a 2 month old demo car, with next to no miles and a really good deal. 4 years and 50K and apart from an ECU failure early on no issues whatsoever.

Exactly could be said for buying any second hand car - and probably more serious. If you bought a car from one of my work colleagues as an ex lease car god help you, never seen such abuse! They keep asking why even over a 3 year period my cars seem to look so much better and drive more smoothly and with more power. It's called using a car properly (I still do drive it hard at times )

 

[Will]

I think the key difference between a normal second hand car and an ex-hire car/courtesy car is that one is generally owned by someone with an interest in looking after it and one is used by hundreds of people who couldn't really care

Will

 

[Dieselman]

My local dealer demo/courtesy cars are always in really good condition, they get checked out and in and users are responsible for damage with a £500 excess.
I'm sure that concentrates the mind a little.

Now the cars that the management use, well that's a whole different story.

 

[Maz]

I work for a main dealer.

Courtesy cars are cars, provided to service customers for when their cars are in for service/repair.

Demonstrator vehicles are cars which are used to demonstrate the products but they also are used as staff company cars.

I'm a Sales Executive and I have a Demonstrator which I take home every night.

 

[Will]

I've had at least 7 courtesy cars from Audi in the last year, all less than a year old with between 70-4000 miles on them, every single one has had damage present on them of some sort and every single one (even the car with 70 miles) has had kerbed wheels!

They stipulate a high excess but maybe they wait until they retail them to carry out the rectification/refinishing work?

Will

 

[dagd]

I purchased and ex demo Polo for my daughter three years ago and it had a full warrenty etc. I took it in for its first MOT last month, apart from a cable (to lift) the drivers seat forward) and a problem with the rear screen wipe motor; both of which were replaced FOC, she has not had a single problem. However, one of the hub caps was kerbed when we purchased the car and was also replaced FOC. I feel we got an excellant deal on a nearly new car

 

[ddentrec]

I work for a main dealer.

Courtesy cars are cars, provided to service customers for when their cars are in for service/repair.

Demonstrator vehicles are cars which are used to demonstrate the products but they also are used as staff company cars.

I'm a Sales Executive and I have a Demonstrator which I take home every night.

So when the courtesy car is due for disposal, does the dealer advertise it as a 'courtesy' car?

Also, it may as well advertised is a an ex-hire car since there are still some tight-fisted dealers who still charge for the use of their courtesy cars...and if you are paying for it you are going to get your money's worth, right?

 

[ddentrec]

I'm a Sales Executive and I have a Demonstrator which I take home every night.

Bit off topic...MB of Bedford refused to let me test drive a E-Class estate 'demonstrator' for more than 30 minutes: I wanted a whole day. I bought my last merc new from them.

The salesman said 'No' as it was not their policy. He then boasted that they sell 500+ cars a year without the need for a one-day test drive (I resisted to tell him that Fletcher Jones MB dealer in the USA - the world's largest - see 500 cars a month).

And that is my point: In the USA they will bend over backward to sell another car to a customer: but here in the UK they rather let the saleman take the car home than a customer. If the Bedford MB dealer was more creative it could be 1000+ cars a year....

 

[219]

Why am i keeping the car good for the next person?

Well , I suppose anyone can suffer an unforseen change of circumstances ; illness , loss of livelihood etc.

You may buy a new car intending to replace it after so long ... then your circumstances change and you have to keep it a bit longer .

Wouldn't you just wish you'd looked after it then ?

 

[219]

I have been told by a couple of people that one of the well known motor dealers in Glasgow ( not M-B ) don't do test drives .

Their salesmen's stance is that every car is warranted and if you find fault after you buy , they will fix it !!

But .... What if you buy it and then find you JUST DON'T LIKE IT ????

 

[Maz]

So when the courtesy car is due for disposal, does the dealer advertise it as a 'courtesy' car?

Also, it may as well advertised is a an ex-hire car since there are still some tight-fisted dealers who still charge for the use of their courtesy cars...and if you are paying for it you are going to get your money's worth, right?

A lot of the time its easier and far cheaper for the dealership to lease their courtesy cars.

Once the lease expires these cars either go to the manufacturers remarketing company or though and auction.

Very rarely are courtesy cars sold within the same dealership.

 

[Carrotchomper]

I have been told by a couple of people that one of the well known motor dealers in Glasgow ( not M-B ) don't do test drives .

Their salesmen's stance is that every car is warranted and if you find fault after you buy , they will fix it !!

But .... What if you buy it and then find you JUST DON'T LIKE IT ????

Very true. I think this is an incredibly arrogant stance to take. Cars are funny beasts and every one drives differently. I really really hate snotty people in dealerships like this. Could be why I've bought every car for the last 7 years from auction...

 

[Dieselman]

I have been told by a couple of people that one of the well known motor dealers in Glasgow ( not M-B ) don't do test drives .

Their salesmen's stance is that every car is warranted and if you find fault after you buy , they will fix it !!

But .... What if you buy it and then find you JUST DON'T LIKE IT ????

Is this a main dealer or car supermarket like Motorpoint. Motorpoint, et al, don't do test drives because you buy the car you see not a similar one, also they work on the stack 'em high principle.